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stop job searching start networking 2

ABoUT The AUThorS...............................................................................................................................................................4

ChAPTer 1: Introduction.............................................................................................................................................................8

ChAPTer 2: The Inner Workings of Networking.........................................................................................................11

ChAPTer 3: Networking Matrix: Breaking It Down..................................................................................................17

ChAPTer 4: The ArT of Networking: Fine-Tuning Your enterprise..................................................................29

ChAPTer 5: Networking events: Knowing how to Work the room.............................................................33

ChAPTer 6: online Networking: Getting Linkedin....................................................................................................49

ChAPTer 7: Networking Circle: What Goes Around, Comes Around..........................................................59

APPeNDIX..........................................................................................................................................................................................61

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Table of Contents

You can visit http://tinyurl.com/mq3ljj to see Brad’s exclusive interviews. Brad also has been quoted dozens of times in many of the world’s leading news sources:

About the authors

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Brad Karsh is considered the number one expert on what it takes to land a job. he is the President and Founder of JobBound, a company dedicated to helping professionals prepare for the job search, get a great job, and excel in the workplace. Brad is author of How to Say It on Your Resume: A Top Recruiting Director’s Guide to Writ-ing the Perfect Resume for Every Job (Prentice hall, 2009) and Confessions of a Recruiting Director : The Insider’s Guide to Landing Your First Job (Prentice hall, 2006). In addition, the nation’s most promi-nent news sources have turned to Brad again and again as the foremost authority on the job search. Brad Karsh has been featured on:

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To see Brad’s advice in these publications, visit http://tinyurl.com/mmtvw6. Finally, Brad writes a monthly job advice column for Yahoo! called “Job Talkin’” and answers AdAge readers’ job search questions in his monthly “Ask Brad” feature.

Prior to JobBound, Brad worked for 15 years at Leo Burnett advertising in Chicago – one of the world’s largest advertising agencies. he left in late 2002 as VP/Director of Talent Acquisition. While at Burnett, Brad evaluated more than 10,000 resumes, interviewed more than 1,000 candidates, and hired hundreds of new employees.

Brad is a public speaker and travels the country presenting at universities, conferences, and other professional gatherings where he gives students and professionals advice on networking, resume writing, interviewing, business eti-quette, and other career topics.

In addition, Brad is a corporate trainer who hosts dynamic workshops for corporations to help employees become better presenters, stronger leaders, and clearer communicators.

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Courtney Pike has over five years of expe-rience in the development and career coun-seling field. Courtney is a solutions-oriented career development and communications pro-fessional who has shared her passion, vision, and expertise to bring leading-edge career initiatives to JobBound.

Courtney oversees all daily operations at Job-Bound and spearheads its strategic partner-ships and business development. Courtney is co-author of How To Say It on Your Resume: A Top Recruiting Director’s Guide to Writing the Perfect Resume for Every Job, and she writes career articles for Metro Chicago Jobs, Qvisory, and UChic. Courtney received her bachelor of arts degree in english and public relations from Spring hill College in Mobile, Alabama. Courtney currently resides in Chicago.

About JobBound

JobBound is a career consulting company that helps people get great jobs and excel in the workforce.

one of the qualities that sets JobBound apart from other resume writing companies is the fact that all of our career consultants are former recruit-ing Directors. resume, interviewing, and networking advice is plentiful, but nowhere else will you gain the perspective of the recruiting Director--the actual person responsible for making the hiring decision.

The team of career consultants at JobBound offers personal consultations on job preparation services including:

resume Writing The Art of Networking

Mock Interviews Cover Letters

Negotiation Power Career Coaching

JobBound also delivers a professional, monthly newsletter, The Insider, where we give FREE advice on: The best resume, interview, networking, and job search tips The hottest workplace issues The finest professional and career guidance The latest employment and job outlook and more!

To gain expert advice from the nation’s leading job search experts for FREE, you can sign up at www.jobbound.com.

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Are you tired of scouring the internet for job openings?

Are you sick of blasting your resume to hundreds of recruiters and online job boards?

Are you frustrated because hiring managers never call you back or respond to your emails?

It sounds like you’re ready to stop job searching and to start networking.

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CHAPTER 1:

Introduction

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The single best way to get a job is to know some-body.

Yes, getting a job should be based on your merit alone, but in reality that isn’t how it works. In fact, about 66% of people get jobs through networking while fewer than 8% of candidates get jobs over the Internet. So the question is, for every hour you spend on the Internet looking for work, are you spending eight hours networking? I think we all know the answer to that question!

Now let me be clear about something up front. In all my time as a recruitment director and job search expert, one thing has never changed: the single best way to get a job is to know somebody. While I said knowing somebody is the single best way to land a job, I didn’t mean that knowing somebody guarantees you a job. Nor did I say that networking is about finding somebody you know who can give you a job. Networking is about con-necting with someone who can give you the op-portunity to get a job. As you read through these pages, you will see how important that opportu-nity is.

“Networking is the key to getting

a new job.”

“You have to network your way to the top of your

company.”

“You won’t get anywhere without

networking.”

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We hear it over and over: “Networking is the best way to get ahead.” But what does networking really mean, and how do you do it? Understanding how to network – from whom to contact to what to say - can have a huge impact on your ability to land a job. In this detailed e-book, we will answer everything you’ve ever wanted to know about networking. We will demys-tify the networking process and break it down into tangible steps that you can begin implementing right away.

Here are just a few things you can look forward to in the following pages: Three networking myth busters

Networking spreadsheet to track your progress

Advice on exactly what to say when you pick up the phone to call someone you don’t know

Sample emails you can send to people with whom you’d like to network

real scripts for informational interviews

Five tips for making the most of a networking cocktail party

Four amazing ways to hit a homerun at a networking sporting event

Five do’s and don’ts for networking over a meal

Five tips to remember when having a coffee meeting

Four techniques for navigating a career fair

over a dozen ideas for using LinkedIn and Facebook while networking

AND More!

If you’re ready to learn how to network your way to success, let’s jump into it!

NETwoRKINg.

here’s a great way to think about it. It may seem like an odd story, but bear with me:

Brittany and Tiffany are best friends. After years of living in differ-ent cities, Tiffany moves to New York where her best friend, Brit-tany, lives. After a couple months in town, it’s time for Tiffany’s first haircut. For many people, getting a haircut in a new city can be a very intimidating process – especially for people with more hair than I have!

So what exactly is networking?

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CHAPTER 2:

The Inner workings of Networking

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Tiffany has a couple options:

Scenario 1Tiffany can go online and research each and every salon in New York City. There are probably over 500 possibilities! She can visit the salons, read reviews of the establishments, even interview customers. She can talk to each and every individual stylist to understand his or her personal styling philosophy and then make an educated guess as to the finest hair salon for her.

Scenario 2She can ask her best friend, Brittany, where she gets her hair cut and try that salon.

What would you choose? Scenario two, of course!

Now, do we know for a fact that Brittany’s salon is the absolute best place for Tiffany? No. But she’ll give it a try, and if she gets a good cut, she’ll keep going back.

Believe it or not, that’s exactly how it works when it comes to getting a job. When looking to hire, recruiting Directors rely on referrals to fill positions – just like Tiffany relied on Brittany. When I was the VP of Talent Acquisition at Leo Burnett advertising agency, I loved when I received referrals for the jobs I needed to fill.

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here’s the deal. When we posted a job, it was not uncommon to receive 500 resumes for one job. I would go through that stack of resumes, and I would select five resumes for people I wanted to interview. Did I know these were the absolute best candidates? of course not. But based on my best judgment, they were the top candidates in the stack.

At the same time, I had a stack of ten resumes forwarded to me by some-one – anyone – in our company. Typically, they were accompanied by a note that said something like, “I just met this guy Milo – he went to my college – and he seems like he’d be a good fit here.” As with Tiffany above, I didn’t necessarily know that these were the best candidates, but at least they had some level of recommendation and screening. In my mind, they were a bet-ter bet than just selecting a random resume. I then would choose the best five of those ten resumes for the interview stage.

Which odds do you like better? Five of ten? or five of 500?

That’s how networking works.

As you can see, it’s not that you’re guaranteed a job if someone recom-mends you or that you won’t get a job if you don’t network. It’s just that networking dramatically improves your chances.

Now, let’s talk about what networking isn’t.

Debunking Networking Myths

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Myth #1: Networking is simply getting a job because you know someone.

The following is not a likely scenario:

You: I know Darren Kapelus – he’s a big shot at Accenture. He said you’d give me a job.

recruiting Director: Of course, I will. You’re hired. We’ll see you on Monday morning at 9:00. I’m assuming $200,000 will work for you as your new IT Spe-cialist salary.

Sadly, that’s not what networking is all about.

Networking is about tapping into connections you have to help you gain the opportunity to get a job. When they say that 66% of people get jobs through networking, it doesn’t mean that 2/3 of people were handed their job because they happened to know someone. It means someone helped them get the interview or helped them get their resume noticed by hr.

When it’s time to hire a candidate, recruiting directors are looking for some help. This is because the recruiting department is flooded with resumes. As a result, there’s no way to interview all the qualified applicants. There might be sixty or seventy people in the pile of 500 resumes who could do the job, but it’s tough to know who the best ones are.

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If you are recommended by someone in the company, it doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed a job – or even an interview. however, the fact that you come “prescreened” by someone at the organization dramatically enhances your chance of getting that interview.

At smaller organizations, the situation can be similar. Without a dedicated recruiting department, usually someone at the company says, “hey, we need a new receptionist. Does anyone know someone?”

In either scenario, having a connection is your key to landing a job.

So how can you make sure your resume gets into the hands of the hiring manager or recruiting director?

Myth #2: You need to know some heavy hitter or the Director of HR to net-work.

In order to network, you simply need someone – anyone – in the company to pass your resume on to hr. It doesn’t need to be an employee in the department that interests you, and it doesn’t need to be a senior executive.

In fact, when I worked at Leo Burnett, I actually preferred recommenda-tions from more junior employees. Let’s be honest, the Ceo’s country club friend’s daughter’s college roommate probably hasn’t been vetted by the Ceo. But the Account executive’s buddy, who has worked at a competitive agency, is probably a much better candidate.

Just make sure you find someone at the company to pass along your re-sume.

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Myth #3: You need to know tons of connected people to network.

You may be surprised with how big your network is once you expand your perspective. In fact, you probably have more connections than you think. Just consider a few of these: Your friends

Your parents

Your parents’ friends

Your friends’ parents

Your neighbors

Your dentist

Your hairstylist

Your personal trainer

Your old colleagues

Your old professors

If there’s a company where you really want to work, make sure you start talking to anyone you know to find the connection. It’s called six degrees of separation. Sure, you may not know anyone at Google, but does anyone you know know someone who works there?

Don’t forget your college career center – even if you graduated years ago. At some schools, alumni organizations provide amazing resources and op-portunities. Also, don’t be shy about using LinkedIn or even Facebook to find contacts. Don’t worry, we will talk more about using online networks in chapter six.

Now that we’ve dispelled a few myths about networking, let’s talk about how you begin networking your way to a job.

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The truth is networking is pretty straightforward and can be broken down into five simple steps.

We’ve found that one of the main reasons people don’t network is that they really don’t know what to do, and they really don’t know what to say. Don’t worry; we take all the guesswork out of networking. We even give you sample emails and phone scripts to get the process going.

Throughout this entire process, I want you to remember one very im-portant item: you’re not asking anyone for a job. You’re making connections, and you’re meeting people, so when a job opens, you’re top-of-mind. Ultimately, you’re putting yourself in a position to land a job, but you’re not walking up to people and asking them to hire you.

CHAPTER 3:

Networking Matrix:Breaking it Down

Let’s break it down:

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A StoryGus is ready for a new job. After eight years of working in public relations, he’s interested in moving into event planning. he’s searched online and looked at a few jobs, but he can’t find anything that matches his background. In spite of this, he’s applied to numerous jobs, but nobody has even replied. he’s frustrated and fed up, and he’s losing confidence in his ability to make a successful career change. Let’s see what Gus can do to land that next, sweet job.

Step 1: Talk to peopleThe first stage is simply to let people know you’re in the market looking for a new job.

In essence, Gus is spreading the word to his contacts to find out if they know anyone in event planning he could contact. In your case, you may want to rebound from a lay off, switch companies in the same industry, or change careers completely. It doesn’t really matter. At this point, you simply want names.

So, who should Gus talk to? everyone!

he can start with some easy ones like we listed on page 16: family, friends, parents’ friends, friends’ parents, school alumni, old professors and more.

of course, he shouldn’t stop there. he needs to make sure as many people as possible know he’s job hunting. At this stage, he’s not asking for a job, he’s trying to connect with people in event marketing who would be willing to tell him more about the industry and their company.

You may be surprised with how many names you discover. When Gus tells his friends he’d like to learn more about event planning, they may say some-thing like, “oh, you know Garrett richard’s wife, Aimee, is an event planner for the Westin hotel.”

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If you’re having trouble tracking down names, be creative. here are a few other ways you can meet more people and expand your network:

Volunteer in your community

Attend the board meeting for your condo association

Join a non-profit board of directors

Talk to the person in the elevator

Join a professional or industry-specific organization

Say hello to the person sitting next to you on a plane

Participate in a book club

Talk to the person behind you in the grocery line

Attend your spinning class at a different time than you normally do

Talk to the person sitting next to you in the coffee shop

See, networking can be fun and easy! You simply want to put yourself in situations where you can meet new people and expand your reach.

Now, what do you say to these people? At this point, it’s pretty simple. here’s what Gus would say:

“I’m thinking about a career in event planning. Do you know anyone I could speak with to learn a bit more about the field and a bit more about their career path?”

What’s important at this stage is that when Gus talks to people, he doesn’t need to talk to people in the event planning business. he’s talking to people he knows to see if they know someone in the field. remember, he’s not asking anyone for a job. Also, he’s not asking if someone knows the Presi-dent of the company or the hr Director. he just wants the name of some-one – anyone - at a specific company or in the field he wants to pursue.

Sounds pretty easy to me!

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Step 2: Keep a spreadsheetAny successful project starts with a spreadsheet. Networking is no different.

For your spreadsheet, simply take the names of your contacts from the step above, and list them down the left side. In the case of Gus, he’d include Aimee richard from the Westin hotel. Then across the top, list things such as: how you know them, their e-mail address, contact information, company, job title and any other relevant information. Include a section to keep track of your communications with your contacts as well. We included a sample spreadsheet in the appendix to help you get started.

If you’re looking to get a job now or within the next couple months, you need to have no less than twenty-five names in that spreadsheet in the next three weeks. Time to get busy!

Step 3: Reach outNow, it’s time to get in touch. For many of you, this is the single most intimi-dating part of the networking process. You may feel awkward calling some-one you don’t know, or you feel like you’re putting someone out. You worry and stress about what exactly you should say on the phone call or in the email.

here’s the crazy thing: most of these people are dying to talk to you. They once were struggling job seekers, trying to figure out what to do with their lives and trying to land that dream job. Now that they have it, they love to talk about their success. I know it’s hard to believe, but most people like talking about themselves!

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The other thing you have going for you is that connection. Whether it’s an alumnus who went to the same school as you, someone you share a friend with, or even a connection from a charitable organization you’ve joined, that connection makes all the difference.

Think of it this way. If someone from your college called you and asked if you could spare thirty minutes to talk to them about your job and your career path, you probably would be happy to talk to them. You may think, “hey, someone actually cares about me and what I’ve done.”

It’s the same idea when you network.

So how do you reach out? Don’t worry, we have the answers.

Start with a phone call; it’s best to talk in person. here’s a sample of what Gus can say:

“Hi Aimee, my name is Gus Palmer, and I received your name from your husband, Garrett. He and I play softball together, and he suggested I reach out. Currently, I am making a career change from PR into event planning, and I was hoping to learn a bit more about the field. I’m sure you’re busy, but I was wondering if we would have an opportunity to meet for about thirty minutes, at your convenience. I would love to find out more about your career path and about what it’s like to work at the Westin.”

That wasn’t so bad, was it? Try to get in touch with them in person. Chanc-es are you might not reach them, so simply leave a voicemail. Make it suc-cinct, like the example above, and don’t forget to leave your name and number. Leave your phone number twice, speak slowly, and spell out your name if it’s difficult to pronounce.

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If you don’t hear back in about a week, send them an e-mail. Some folks are phone people, some are e-mail people. This way, you have them both covered. The content of the email can be the same as what you said on the phone. Make sure you mention your connection in the subject line: “re-ferred by Garrett richard” or “Wesleyan Alum looking for job advice.” Don’t underestimate the subject line. If it says, “help me find a job” or something like that, it will get deleted instantly.

If you still receive no response from the email, wait one more week, and then leave a final phone message or email. Don’t reference the fact that you called them and they never called back. Your goal isn’t to make them hate you!

Be realistic. There will be some people who won’t call you back, respond to the e-mail or be willing to talk. So be it. That’s not so bad. Fortunately, many people will be happy to meet with you, even if it’s not right away.

Step 4: Have a networking meetingThe networking meeting is also known as an informational interview. This is when you get to meet with a real, live person! In our example, Gus would be going in to meet Aimee from the Westin.

There are three goals for the meeting: 1. Learn about the industry or job. 2. Make a favorable impression on the person with whom you are meeting. 3. Get names of other people with whom you can meet.

remember, even though it’s an informational interview, you are being evalu-ated. As a result, you want to leave a favorable impression. You should ap-proach this informational interview as you would an actual interview, except you’ll be asking most of the questions.

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Here’s how to prepare:

Bring several copies of your resume.

Leave your schedule open after the meeting in case they want you to meet more people.

Wear a business suit.

Show up on time (meaning five to ten minutes early).

have a list of about ten to twenty great questions to ask (and not simple things that you can find out on their Web site). These can be business questions or they can be more personal questions.

Here are a few ideas:

Business: how has the economy affected your business?

Where do you see the company in ten years?

What are your future growth areas?

What are you doing to attract more customers via the Internet?

have you offshored any of your business?

Personal: Tell me about your career path.

What’s a typical day like?

What makes someone successful here?

What do you like most about your job?

What is your biggest challenge?

You’ll find that after a few of these meetings, you’ll really get the hang of it, and it will be a lot of fun!

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When you meet, spend a few minutes talking and ask a bunch of questions. hopefully, you leave with a good sense of what the field is all about, and you leave a favorable impression - not a bad combination.

here’s a perfect end to the fictitious meeting Gus had with Aimee richard at the Westin:

“Gus, it was great meeting with you today. I hope I answered some of your questions about event planning and Westin hotels. If you have an extra copy of your resume, I’d love to forward it to our recruiting department in case we have any openings. Also, here are the names of a few more people at other event planning firms you may want to talk to.”

Step 5: Follow upDon’t forget to send a nice thank-you note after the meeting - ideally, within twenty-four hours. You’ll also want to keep in touch with these people, especially if the meetings go well. To the mantra that says when it comes to getting a job, “It’s not what you, know but who you know.” I’d add the following:

“It’s not just what you know, or even who you know, but also when you know them.”

You might meet people who think you’re great, but they don’t have an open-ing for you right now. Don’t assume you’re still at the top of their list three months or even three weeks later. They meet a lot of people and have a lot on their mind. Send them periodic e-mails or notes on your progress. It’s a great idea to send them a follow up email about a month after you meet. Let them know how your job search is progressing and if any of the contacts they may have given you panned out.

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here’s an example:

Dear Aimee,

I hope you’ve been enjoying this great, warm weather.

I wanted to reach out and thank you again for connecting me with Brian Brown at OnQue Planning. Brian shared some wonderful insight on his company and the event planning industry, and he even invited me to job shadow him for a day. It was a wonderful experience, and it only rein-forced my passion for the field.

Fortunately, I have a number of interviews set up this week, so I’m mak-ing a lot of progress and meeting impressive, event planning profession-als. My goal is to land a job sometime within the next two months. If you know of anyone else I can speak with or of any job leads, please let me know.

Thanks again for your help, and I will keep you updated on the job search.

Sincerely,

Gus Palmer

This way, they’ll know if you’re still in the job market. Also, even if you land a job elsewhere, it’s great to have contacts for your next job search! once you land a job, let everyone who helped you along the way know about your suc-cess.

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Aimee,

I’m excited to say that I have accepted a job offer with the Adam’s Mark Hotel in Mobile, Alabama. I’m moving to Mobile in two weeks, and my first day is less than a month away. I’m really excited about this new op-portunity, and I couldn’t have done it without the support and advice of people like you. Although I won’t be in Chicago anymore, I would love to keep in touch. You have been a great source of help and inspiration for me, and I hope our paths will cross again soon.

Thanks again, and I wish you continued success at Westin.

Regards,

Gus Palmer Your contacts will appreciate hearing that you’re taking a successful next step.

Additionally, your personal network can come in handy once you’re on the job as well. It’s a group that you can reach out to for advice, referrals, and even business opportunities. Ideally, you want to reach out to everyone in your professional network at least once every couple months.

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There are some unique ways you can keep in touch and stay top-of-mind:

If you see a news article that would interest your contact, forward it along with a personal note.

I saw this article on how the event planning industry is getting bat-tered by the weak economy. It gives examples of how some firms are overcoming the obstacles and the decrease in corporate spending. I thought you might enjoy reading this.

If you see that your contact’s company made headlines, send a con-gratulatory email.

Congratulations on winning the “green” award at the annual confer-ence. I’m sure you and your team must be proud.

A new Westin will be opening practically in my backyard, and my in-laws are especially excited.

Send an email that references something you talked about in your informational interview.

I know you’re an LSU alumni and a big football fan. Congratulations on the big win over Alabama this weekend!

I know you mentioned that your family is from Louisiana, and I saw the damage from the latest hurricane. I hope your family is safe and doing well.

I know last time we chatted, there was an April snowstorm in Chicago. I saw that you had a 75 degree weekend, so I wanted to send you a hello. Hope you enjoyed it!

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There you have it!

Five simple steps to network your way to a job:1. Talk to people

2. Keep a spreadsheet

3. reach out

4. have a networking meeting

5. Follow up

of course, you simply don’t want to do step 1,2,3,4,5 and repeat. You should be doing all of these steps simultaneously with different people to build your network. You’re holding networking meetings while you’re talking to more people and following up with others, and you just keep adding to that spreadsheet. Before you know it, 1,2,3,4,5, and you have a job!

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Get out there.

Meet more people.

Tap into your network.

Have lunch.

Hit the career fair.

You’re seeking a new job, and you’re doing all the things listed above to land it, but nothing seems to be working. Days of unemployment are turning into weeks and then to months, and you feel as though you will never master the fine art of networking.

I’ll be honest: there’s no magic formula that can guarantee you landing that next job. however, there are some definite strategies for making the most of net-working.

CHAPTER 4: The Art of Networking: Fine-tuning Your Enterprise

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1. work Hard

You may have heard the old adage that it’s a full-time job getting a full-time job. It’s true. You must work hard, and you must get out there if you want to find success. You need to dedicate roughly seven to eight hours each day to the job search.

Getting a job isn’t easy, but if you really focus your time and energy, you will be successful. Call your favorite old boss from five years ago, or attend the networking event that happens to be in an inconvenient location. The key is to be assertive, make a plan, and work hard. A typical day may look like this:

Follow up with companies that interviewed you in the past few months. Their needs may have changed. Contact your college career center to pinpoint new job leads in your city.establish a contact networking list – friends, family, neighbors, pro-fessors, etc. Begin calling and reaching out to let them know about your job search.Go on an informational interview at a company that interests you.Write thank you notes or follow up emails to those you contacted today.Write a to-do list for the next day.Attend a social networking event.

every situation may be a bit different, but you should spend 35 – 40 hours a week job searching. The more effort you put in, the more likely you are to land a job.

8:00am

9:00am

11:00am

2:00pm4:00pm

5:00pm7:30pm

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2. Follow Up

Now is not the time to be passive. I’ve found that the single biggest mistake most job seekers make is not “following up on leads.” In fact, I use those “sales” words – following up on leads – because getting a new job is a lot like sales.

Let me give you an example:

You’ve lost your job, and you’re hitting a few networking events. At the first one, you meet your old friend Darin who is now a big shot at your dream company. Darin mentions that his company might have some openings and that you could be a good fit. You tell him you’re interested, and he says he’ll be in touch.

What do you do? A. Wait a couple weeks to see if he gets back to you. After all, he said he’d be in touch. B. Send him an email the next morning telling him how much you enjoyed reconnecting and attach a copy of your resume. C. Stop the job search altogether. “hey, Darin said he’d hook me up!”

The answer is of course B. however, far too many job seekers I know opt for A. Don’t assume your job search is at the top of everyone else’s to-do list.

I certainly don’t recommend that you call Darin every fifteen minutes for the next month checking on the job. remember, a restraining order should not be a typical job search outcome. You want to navigate the fine line be-tween being persistent and being a stalker.

In this case, I’d email Darin the next day. If you don’t hear from him, send him an email about a week later. As a last resort, contact him roughly one month from your first meeting to check in one final time.

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3. Understand the difference between determination and desperation

Let’s be honest. You need a job – badly. You have mortgage payments, a family to feed, and an incurable affinity for Gucci. even though that may be your personal situation, don’t emit an air of absolute desperation when you’re networking and connecting with old colleagues.

I have job seekers who have come to me and said, “Brad, I’ll take ANY job you have. I just need SoMeThING. I don’t care what it is.”

To be honest, no one you’re networking with wants to hear that – even if it’s true. I equate the job search to dating. What if someone came up to you and said, “I’ll date ANYoNe out there. I just need SoMeoNe to go out with. Do you want to go out on a date?” I think you might be a bit turned off. reposition your inner des-peration as determination and flexibility. For example:

“Right now, I’m looking for something in sales. I was a VP/Director in Chicago at my old company, but given the market, I’m fairly flexible when it comes to title and location. For me, what’s important is finding a good fit in terms of company and culture. I’m confident that if I get my foot in the door I can prove myself on the job.”

That sounds a lot better, doesn’t it?

I know it’s not easy right now. Work hard and work smart, and good things should come.

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Lunches, coffee chats, industry gatherings, oh my!

We all know by now that networking is simply the best way to land a job – especially in this economy. But how do you make the most of these networking opportunities to land your next gig?

CHAPTER 5: Networking Events: Knowing How to “work the Room”

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We’ve mentioned this before, but the people you network with are certainly evaluating you.

With that in mind, you want to approach networking like an interview. Dress professionally, arrive on time, don’t say anything inappropriate like “Hell, I’m just trying to milk as much cash as I can for about a year, and then I plan to start my own company.”

Also, remember that it’s not all about you. I’ve gone on networking lunches with out-of-work friends who spend the entire time talking about them-selves and asking what I can do to help them.

Just like every relationship, it has to work both ways. When you’re network-ing, ask questions, listen to their story, and allow them to brag a bit. People like that! They will leave with a much higher opinion of you and will be more likely to help. Also, keep in mind that you may one day be in a position to help them. You want to form a mutually beneficial relationship.

The Approach

Preparation

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Like most things in life, a little effort can go a long way. Do some homework before the networking meeting. If you know that you’re going to be meeting with certain people, research them online and learn about their background and career paths. You can go to LinkedIn or Facebook, or even “Google” their names.

Now, you don’t want to go stalker on them.

“Hey, I noticed that you ran a 5k in 21:08 back in 2006. Nice job.”

or,

“I see you bought a pretty expensive house in Larchmont last year. It’s really amazing how little $1.3 million can get you these days.”

however, knowing some information can help you make the most of the session. For instance, you don’t want to talk about how excited you would be to work on the Kraft business at their company, only to learn they lost the account three weeks ago.

The same is true of a networking event or industry function. Try to discover who might be in attendance, and do some research. remember, knowledge is power.

Expectations

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As they say, you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince.

While networking certainly can help you land a job, it’s a process. Some people won’t call you back, others will cancel your lunch at the last minute, and the cool networking event you attend might be filled with similarly un-employed job seekers.

Don’t give up.

You typically don’t walk out of a networking meeting or event with a job. The hope is that you’ve made new contacts who might be able to point you in the right direction. here are some possible outcomes from networking. They range from most to least promising:

“We may be looking for someone like you; let me send your resume to HR.”

“I know Tony at Digitas, feel free to give him a call and use my name.”

“You ought to look into health care, there’s a lot of hiring going on there right now.”

“If I hear of anything, I’ll let you know.”

The refrain you have to keep in your head is “you never know.” Sometimes, “if I hear of anything” could turn into a job down the road.

Tips to remember

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here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you approach these networking occasions.

Meeting in person is always better than over the phone. The phone can work if you can’t meet face-to-face.

Make yourself as accessible as possible. Your schedule should be flexible.

Be prepared and bring a portfolio or resume, but don’t force them on people. only show a portfolio if they ask.

hopefully, by now, we have broken down the “intimidation factor” when it comes to networking. You know the approach, the preparation, and the expectations. So how do you make connections at all of those networking events? Now that you’re job seeking and actively networking, you’ll want to keep in mind a few best practices for the standard networking events:

Cocktail party

Sporting event

The meal

Coffee meeting

Career fair

each scenario presents a unique opportunity to make new connections and get one step closer to a job. To help make the process as easy as possible, we have included some specific tips for each of the various networking op-portunities you’ll face:

The Cocktail Party

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You will spend the evening at a swanky bar or restaurant, and you will have to walk into a huge room of people you don’t know and begin chatting with them. Sound scary? Don’t worry. remember, everyone is there because they want to mingle, chat, and network with people like you.

1. Focus on the people, not the food. one great thing about these social networking events is that they often have amazing food and free-flowing booze. As tough as it sounds, it is not about the food. I repeat, it is not about the food. As you can imagine, it becomes difficult to ask and answer questions if you keep cramming cheese wedges and mini chicken salad sandwiches in your mouth. of course, you should take it easy with the drinks as well. No one wants to hear you slur your words about your job search after five glasses of red vino.

That being said, if there are tables, then grabbing a small plate of food and sitting down with a few people you don’t know is a great and easy way to begin your networking. Spend some time getting to know the people around your table. once you are finished with your food, you have a great way to say goodbye and move on to meet another group of people.

2. Find a high traffic area. Try to position yourself at a high traffic area – near the food, the bar, or the check-in tables. The buffet line isn’t entirely bad! Not everyone knows that “it’s not all about the food,” so you can meet a lot of people as they wait around for the beef tenderloin to be restocked. If you see a gentlemen try-ing the bacon-wrapped dates, tell him you thought they were scrumptious and let the conversation go from there.

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3. work your way into conversations. It’s easy to position yourself in the corner, safe from any awkward silences or conversations, but that’s not why you attended the event.

Survey the room and look for a small group of people in a half circle. A group of three is a great starting point. When you join the group, they most likely will welcome you and introduce themselves. If they are deep in con-versation, try to get up to speed on the conversation and then introduce yourself. You’ll find that it’s not actually that difficult.

When you do meet someone, you can start the conversation with some-thing incredibly basic - the weather, sports, non-controversial current events – really just about anything. All it takes is that one quick intro to get a con-versation going. here are some examples:

“how about those Dodgers?”

“Can you believe how cold it is?”

“Did you catch last night’s American Idol?”

“I can’t believe oprah lost (or gained) so much weight.”

“The food here sure is great.”

“This is a really beautiful room, isn’t it?”

“how much do you weigh?”

okay, maybe not the last question, but the point is to say something to make a connection. It’s easier than you think.

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4. Use your business cards. If you’re unemployed and don’t have business cards, it is a wise investment to have some made. You don’t want to pass around your business cards like flyers, but you do want everyone you meet to have your contact informa-tion. Giving out a business card also makes it easier to request the business cards of your new networking contacts. These business cards are essential if you want to follow up with any promising leads.

here’s a great tip on what to do with all the business cards you collect. You undoubtedly will have a lot of conversations at a networking event, and they can begin to blend together. It’s a good idea to jot down some notes on the back of a new contact’s business card so you remember the conversation. If you can make a personal reference in your follow up email, the person will be impressed.

5. Bring a wingman. If all of the above ideas sound intimidating, bring a friend along for your first networking event. Your friend will help ease your anxieties of standing alone and can help you begin good conversations. Just don’t fall into the trap of talking to each other all night. Challenge each other to see who can make the most meaningful connections!

These type of networking events are low pressure (I promise!) and can be a lot of fun. enjoy it!

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Sporting Event

You have a chance to play golf, watch baseball, or cheer on your football team while trying to network your way to a job. What could be better, right? here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Know the sport. If you don’t know the difference between a Chicago Bull and a Chicago Bear or if you have no idea what Fukudome means and you’re attending a Chica-go Cubs game, then do a little research. If you can sing “Go Cubs Go” with the best of them, you will build good camaraderie.

2. Don’t pretend to have skills you don’t have. If your middle name is “triple bogey”, don’t schedule a networking meeting over a game of golf with the guy nicknamed Tiger.

3. Leave the blue and white paint at home. Sure, you’ll show you have passion, but you don’t want to be yelling, cursing, and going overboard cheering on your home team.

4. Use timeouts and half-time to your advantage. No one wants to talk business when the Indians are about to clinch the World Series. Since this is a casual environment, you don’t want to talk just business. relax and focus on building a relationship with the group.

What’s important is making the connection.

The Meal

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Now, for the networking meeting over lunch. of course, you want to follow all of your grandmother’s rules – don’t chew food with your mouth open, don’t wave your fork around when making hand gestures, don’t rest your elbows on the table. You know this stuff. Fortunately, the person you are meeting with probably is not that concerned with how you spoon your soup or butter your bread. But you never know, so be on your best behavior.

1. Play it safe with the food. Don’t pick finger foods, spaghetti, or oys-ters on the half shell. Buffalo wings might be your all-time favorite, but you can celebrate with your friends later that night with an extra-saucy batch. You also should use your napkin liberally. It’s difficult to be taken seriously if there’s salad dressing on your mouth.

2. Play it conservative with your order. If you requested the meeting, you are expected to pick up the bill. however, if the person you are meet-ing says she will pay, then you don’t want to take advantage of the generosity. You don’t need to go the “side salad-as-a-meal” route or get a cup of soup, but you also don’t want to order the $45 surf and turf.

3. Follow the lead. Is he ordering dessert? Is she ordering coffee? Is he eating slowly and speaking between bites? resist the urge to inhale your grilled chicken sandwich. Take small bites so you aren’t caught with a mouth-ful and keep the person waiting five minutes while you finish chewing.

4. Be polite. The way you treat the waiter may be the person’s cue of how you will interact with members of a team. Be sure to say please and thank you, and don’t complain about the food – even if it is bland or rub-bery.

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5. Know when to talk business. The way these lunches or other network-ing meals work is pretty standard. The first part of the meal is spent chatting about general topics. remember the list we had on page 39? You can talk about the weather, sports, family, and so on. Then as you finish the main course, guide the discussion to work – if it hasn’t come up yet. You can ask them about their job or update them on your search. It won’t seem awkward, and it allows you to make a connection first, and then get to the business of the meeting.

Coffee Meeting

The coffee meeting is perfect for conducting an informational meeting or for connecting with new contacts in your industry. It’s casual and easy, and business people always need a caffeine fix. here are a couple tips to keep in mind:

1. Keep it short. especially if you are meeting during business hours, be respectful of the person’s time. If you said twenty minutes, keep the meeting to twenty minutes.

2. Make it as easy as possible. Meet next to the person’s office, and let the person choose the time. remember, they’re doing you a favor.

3. Listen. It’s not all about you. Ask questions and show interest.

4. Pick up the tab. It’s only a couple bucks, and it’s a nice gesture for the person who is taking time to meet with you.

5. Tell the person how they can help. Most people want to help! Just ask.

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The big day is almost here. how exciting. The career fair is right around the corner. It’s pretty cool when you think about it. A bunch of companies are getting together just to hire folks like you. There are some definite do’s and don’ts when it comes time to work a career fair :

1. Do some homework. It’s the last thing you want to hear, but prepa-ration is key. Find out what companies are going to be there. Then check them out online. If you know a bit about the company, it sends them a strong signal that you’re a serious candidate.

A good opening line is NoT, “I’ve never heard of you before. What do you guys do?”

2. Devise a plan of attack. Sometimes, job seekers will race into the ca-reer fair the second the doors open to make sure they hit their number one employer right away. That’s not a good approach. It takes a few times to get your mojo going and for you to feel comfortable talking about yourself to a complete stranger. Practice with a few companies before you go for your most promising prospects.

3. Create your pitch. Working a career fair is a bit like speed dating. You have a very limited amount of time to make a connection. Just like dat-ing, the key is to make a connection. Stopping by a booth, spending fifteen seconds, and dropping off your resume is not an effective approach.

Networking at a career fair is not about saying:

“Hi, my name is Josh Bellin, I’m a financial analyst, and my lifelong goal has always been to work for (fill in company name). I have ten years of experience, and I’m the President of the Pittsburgh Investment Club. Here’s my resume. Please contact me. Bye.”

The Career Fair

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Instead, be relaxed, be yourself, and strike up a conversation. Talk a bit about the company, talk a bit about yourself, and feel free to ask some questions. here’s a sample interchange:

Josh: Hi, my name is Josh Bellin, it’s very nice to meet you.

Recruiting Director: Hi, I’m Muriel Taylor, and I’m the Director of Recruiting at Greenwell Springs Consulting.

Josh: It’s very exciting to meet you, Muriel. Greenwell Springs Consulting is a company I admire quite a bit. It seems like a great place to work.

Recruiting Director: It is, I’ve been here four years and have really enjoyed my-self.

Josh: I’ve been particularly impressed with the roster of clients you have and how you work so closely with them. In the research I’ve done, I see that leadership is something you are looking for in all of your employees.

Recruiting Director: Yes, it’s definitely critical to success here.

Josh: I’ve been fortunate to have had some great leadership experience from my roles as a Chief Financial Analyst for Wayne, Inc, and as President of the Pitts-burgh Investment Club.

Recruiting Director: That’s sounds great. I’d love to see a copy of your resume.

Josh: Here you go. By the way, Muriel, how does your hiring process work?....

That’s a little snapshot of how it might go. of course, some interactions might be longer, some shorter. Just be prepared to go with the flow.

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4. Follow up and write a thank-you note. You did your homework, you made a plan of attack, and you even made a great connection with a recruiter. But it doesn’t end there.

one of the biggest mistakes job seekers make at career fairs is not follow-ing up. remember, these folks are meeting dozens, sometimes hundreds, of people. You need to stand out both during and after the event.

Send a thank-you note. Make sure you make it personal and try to refer-ence something you discussed in your brief encounter.

The key to a good thank-you note is to make it personal. remember though, there’s a fine line between clever and stupid. Thank-you notes should be short and should mention things you talked about in the interview. As soon as you have a chance to jot down notes from a career fair, do it - especially if if you met more than one person from the same company.

You want to write a different thank-you note to each person you meet with since there’s a chance they’ll share them among the team. obviously, it’s critical to make sure there are no typos, that names are correct, and that you spell the name of the company right.

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here’s a sample thank-you note:

Dear Ms. Taylor,

It was great meeting with you today. I have to say, it was amazing to meet someone from Greenwell Springs Consulting after hearing so much about the firm.

Our discussion of what makes companies successful really intrigued me. I’ve spent more time thinking about it, and I continue to feel that strong leadership and great ideas are what set the best companies apart.

I understand that you’re seeking new analysts to join your team, and I would love to tell you more about how I could be an asset to Greenwell Springs Consulting. I’ve attached my resume for your consideration. If you have any questions, feel free to email me or call 123-456-7890.

Thank you again for your time, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Regards,

Josh [email protected]

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There you have it! Five different types of networking events and specific tips to tackle each and every one of them. The common bond is that the last and final step is the most important – following up. Any connection will dry if you don’t follow up and maintain a relationship. remember: it’s not just who you know but when you know them.

By practicing the above techniques, you will be as successful as possible when you’re networking.

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Meeting in person is always the best option, but there are also a host of online options for building your network and contacts. There are social networks such as LinkedIn and Facebook which allow you to reconnect with college buddies, high school contacts, industry profes-sionals, and accomplished peers. As you can imagine, this can be a goldmine for your job search.

CHAPTER 6:

online Networking:getting LinkedIn

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Before we jump into how to network online, we want to issue a small warn-ing. here are just a few of the recent headlines:

“Web Page Sinks Job Candidate”

“Online Persona Can Ruin Your Shot at That Job”

“MySpace Shuts Doors to Potential Workplaces”

“Risque Photos Make Resume Irrelevant”

“Social Networking Sites Can Derail Your Career”

“Man Says He was Fired Over MySpace Bomb Joke”

“Facebook Follies Hurt Your Job Prospects”

As you can see, if not used properly, your online profiles can hurt your chances of getting a job. Trust me, I know!

Let’s start with a personal story. Back in the spring of 2006, we were look-ing to hire an intern at our company. As one of the candidates was coming to interview, I went on Facebook to check him out. As I checked out Jack’s profile he listed his interests as:

“Smokin’ blunts with the homies, “ “Bustin’ caps into whitey” and a few oth-ers I’m not at liberty to print in this publication.

Do I think Jack was joking around when he wrote that? The answer is yes. I’m quite confident he was not killing people. But, what did that Facebook profile say about Jack’s professionalism, judgment and maturity? We walk a very fine line when it comes to what is appropriate online behavior and what could cost us a job.

The Bad

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With anything relating to careers, there’s a right way and wrong way. Just as you may seek out potential clients or employers online, companies are using social networks to learn more about you as well. Are you sure your profile is something a potential employer would find appropriate?

Making the hiring decision is a difficult and incredibly important process. Going into any job search, an employer wants to be as knowledgeable as possible about a new hire. remember, they are sinking considerable re-sources of both time and money into an employee.

As such, employers and hiring managers use as many tools as they can to determine if you are the right person. They expect you to put your best foot forward on a resume, in an interview, and even in your online profile. If they see something that looks unprofessional or out of place – in any of the above – it can be a determining factor in not getting a job.

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Pretend you’re a recruiting director and take this quiz.

All other things being equal, who is likely to be a more professional employee:a. someone who sends a resume with three typos in itb. someone who sends a resume that is perfectly proofread

All other things being equal, who is likely to be a more professional employee:a. Someone who shows up ten minutes late for an interviewb. Someone who is in the reception area ready to go ten minutes before the interview starts

All other things being equal, who is likely to be a more professional employee:a. Someone who has a Facebook profile with a picture of them posing with a stripper from their “5 days, 5 states, tons of girls ‘n gin” photo albumb. Someone with a Facebook profile with no inappropriate photos

of course, either candidate could be great, but seriously, who would you hire? Importantly, if you are the recruiting director, who do you think your boss or the Ceo would like you to hire?

The good

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Don’t worry, it’s not all bad!

The fact is, social networking sites can be wonderful career tools. If you’re seeking a marketing position and while searching Facebook you discover that your college buddy is now director of marketing at McDonald’s, I think you found yourself a new best friend!

If you are in the job market, you would be wise to get online and try to find someone you know at the companies you’re pursuing. Connecting with col-leagues, future business partners, and potential employers is a great way to use all of the social networking sites.

For the vast majority of people, sites liked LinkedIn and even Facebook can be wonderful networking resources to find new contacts and create new business opportunities.

Using Social Networks

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Now that you have that perspective, you can begin using social network-ing to your advantage. Facebook and LinkedIn are the most popular social networks right now. There are a number of other sites, but we recommend focusing on these two. For a full list of social networks, see the appendix.

For a little background, Facebook and LinkedIn are for all ages and profes-sions. Stereotypically, Facebook is seen as more social and LinkedIn is more business focused. LinkedIn is an online network of millions of professionals from around the world representing hundreds of industries, and many em-ployers actually search LinkedIn for hiring purposes. For the sake of your job search and this e-book, we will focus on LinkedIn.

here are some easy steps to get started networking on LinkedIn:

1. Create a detailed, professional profile. a. Job experience – focus on job accomplishments and specialties. This section should be similar to your resume. You want to emphasize what makes you special and unique. (The way you sell and write about your job experiences on your resume and in your profile is so important, we included a resume article in the appendix. Make sure you check it out!)b. Interests and extracurricular activities – include any of your volunteer activities, associations, professionals organizations, etc. This section shows that you are involved outside of work, and it helps round you out as an individual. of course, if someone sees you share a mutual interest in racquetball, it may start a great conversation.c. Education – list your degree(s) and school(s). Many people search for university alumni, so make sure you complete this section.

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d. Resume keywords and skills – some hiring managers search LinkedIn through keywords and skills. especially if you are an expert in a certain application or software, include that on your profile. e. Recommendations – request recommendations from colleagues and old bosses. When the hiring manager reviews your profile, rave reviews and recommendations are always good to see. f. Professional looking photo – this is not the place to show off your new six-pack or your keg-stand abilities. g. Name: a special note to married women – make sure to include your maiden name in parentheses along with your married name – even if you changed it many years ago. often, people from your past may only remember you by the maiden name.

2. Build your network. Spend time searching and connecting with old friends and colleagues. LinkedIn has a tool that allows you to search your college or former employers to find people you know. You can search by:

School

Company

Location

Name

Industry

When you find a friend and click on “Add eric to your network”, LinkedIn sends a standard note that says “I’d like to add you to my professional net-work on LinkedIn.” I actually recommend that you don’t use that generic greeting, but write a personal message instead. It can make a big difference. It can really be something as simple as:

Eric, it’s been a long time since we worked at FSLIC. I hope all is well with you. I look forward to touching base soon.

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once eric confirms your connection, then you can see all of eric’s connec-tions. LinkedIn is truly impressive in how it allows you to connect easily with professionals across the world.

3. Search jobs. Look at the jobs section to view job listings and op-portunities. The jobs are posted by hr professionals, and it shows how you are connected to them. You may discover that your friend, eric, knows the hr Director at the company where you want to work!

4. Search for people by industry, field, or company. If you find the hr Director at IBM, you can see if any of your friends know that hr Director. If someone does, ask the friend to “introduce” you.

here’s how it works: LinkedIn shows you how you may be connected to someone and how many “degrees” away you are. When you click on the hr Director at IBM, it may show that you are three connections away. You know Letty, who knows Murrel, who knows the Director of hr. LinkedIn actually shows you the connections - pretty fancy!

You can send a note to Letty asking her to forward the introduction to Murrel who can send it to the hr Director. That introductory note can be pretty straightforward.

Letty –I was wondering if you could forward this introduction on to Murrel Fischer who can send it to Kimberly Thomas who is the HR Director at IBM. As you know, I’m interested in a career in technology and would be interested in connecting with Kimberly.Thank you.

By searching through your industry, finding key contacts, and asking your connections to make the introduction, you are building a powerful, online network.

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5. Join relevant groups. There are groups for just about everything. There are industry groups, interest groups, city groups, and more. For ex-ample, if you’re an engineer, there are almost 200 groups just for engineers. The groups usually have discussions and posts that you can follow. Through these groups, you “meet” and are connected to hundreds of professionals in your field. If you want to get into a marketing position, then it would be a good idea to join the American Marketing Association LinkedIn group. Pro-fessional LinkedIn Groups can be a good way to jumpstart connections and to stay in tune with industry news and happenings.

To take it a step further, you can become active in the group and begin con-versations by posting to the discussion board. You can ask questions or pass along links to interesting business articles. This gets your name and profile in the forefront of the group, and you may begin a healthy discussion with some professionals. Add their names to your spreadsheet.

remember the networking spreadsheet we talked about on page 20? Then you follow networking steps 3, 4, and 5 that are listed on pages 20 – 28 to help work your way into their company.

on LinkedIn, you’re connecting with people across the country and the world, so in-person meetings could be difficult. however, you can send your contacts an email requesting a phone appointment to hear more about their company and career path.

You can join interest groups as well. It’s easy to start conversations with people who share common activities and interests as you. If you’re a run-ner, you can join the “Marathoners” group. once you join a group, you can search the group by keywords. That way, you can see everyone who is a financial analyst in the Marathoners group.

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6. Do company or personnel research. remember how we said you should be prepared before attending a networking event or informa-tional interview? LinkedIn is a great place to start with your research and preparation. If you are meeting with Marc Pelham for an informational inter-view, review his public profile. You can get acquainted with his current job role and his past experiences. This will help you prepare solid questions for the informational interview.

You can also search companies to learn the basic information such as loca-tions, headquarters, size, and current employees. This is a great place to make sure you are prepared and armed with knowledge.

These are just a few ideas for using LinkedIn and social networks in your job search. These online tools can be an incredible resource to get names. You also want to build your connections continually. When you meet someone at a networking event, on your basketball team, or in your improv class, con-nect with them on LinkedIn. It will open your world to an entire new group of people and possibilities.

Again, you don’t want to spend all of your time online, but online network-ing should be one of the tactics you use. As you capture more names via online sources, simply put them into your networking spreadsheet that we talked about in chapter three.

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There you have it. Your complete guide to networking. You have all the information you need to network your way to a job. Now you just have to do it!

CHAPTER 7: Networking Circle: what goes Around, Comes Around

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As a parting note, I encourage you not only to be a great networker but to be a great connecter as well. What goes around, comes around. If you help connect your friends and contacts, they’ll be more than happy to return the favor. When you meet new people, don’t think, “What can they do for Me?” Consider how you can help people with their situations. Also, recognize if you should introduce and bring together two people you know.

After reading this e-book, I’m sure you understand that networking is not an overnight process. You definitely don’t want to wait to begin networking once you lose your job or when you really need a new one. Networking should be an ongoing process, more of a livelihood than a last resort. Simply continue meeting people and making connections everywhere you go and in everything you do. And keep in touch. Your contacts want to hear about your good times as well.

Networking doesn’t just serve you for getting a job. It’s also great once you have a job for building your business and your customers. With any major event in life, such as buying a house, choosing a financial planner, leasing a car, or having your first child, it’s very helpful to be surrounded by a knowledge-able and experienced network.

So with that, I encourage you to check out our appendix and refer to this e-book often. Also check out www.jobbound.com for advice and guidance on all aspects of the job search.

Best of luck with networking your way to a new job!

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APPENDICES

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Sample Networking SpreadsheetName Relationship Contact Info Company 1st Call 2nd Call 3rd Call Notes

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Community-Driven Sites

These sites provide the full social networking experience, including user pro-files, groups, collaborations and communication opportunities, and more.

Facebook.com – The prototypical social media site. Primarily per-sonal in nature, but it provides many opportunities to reconnect with people from your past. Make sure your profile is complete and appropriate, and try to search for topics/groups that are relevant to your career path.

LinkedIn.com – The site for business connections. It allows you to build a “virtual rolodex” of professionals and colleagues, post a professional profile including experience and skills, and participate in groups and discussions designed for networking.

MySpace.com – Although once popular, MySpace has been stagnat-ing recently in usage and is not widely used by professionals outside of the music and entertainment industries.

Xing.com – Provides much of the same functionality as LinkedIn; specifically aimed at the european market.

Ning.com – Ning provides a social media platform for people to build their own communities. This is helpful if you want to partici-pate in a network of subject matter experts or enthusiasts, or if you want to start a community yourself. You can search existing com-munities right on the homepage.

Social Media Sites

Social Media Tools

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These sites provide components to help with social networks. Although communities may form surrounding them, they are not social networking sites in and of themselves.

Twitter.com – Twitter is a “micro-blogging” platform, in which users post short messages. It’s a good tool for networking because you can “follow” business luminaries, writers, and col-leagues and engage them in discussions that wouldn’t otherwise happen.

Personal Blog (Blogger.com, WordPress.com, etc.) – As always, content is king. If you can post regular updates on topics that are relevant to your career/field, you can establish yourself as a content expert, stand out from your peers, and control your “Google-ability”. If you get popular enough, you may begin de-veloping new connections through your writing.

Social News Sites (i.e. Digg.com, Reddit.com, etc.) – These sites serve as news “aggregators” on particular topics. Although you are unlikely to make direct connections to individuals here, it’s a great way to learn more about a topic/industry.

Video/Image Sharing (i.e. YouTube.com, Flickr.com, etc.) – These sites allow you to share content with others. Again, the tools here will allow you to strengthen your existing network rather than developing new connections.

Making Your Resume Stand out

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In addition to being a great networker, you also need a strong resume to land a job. here’s a bonus article on how to write a great resume.

You’ve dedicated a large amount of time and effort to your job, and you’ve accomplished a great deal. Your friends, family, and co-workers are aware of your initiative and hard work, but when it comes to landing a new job, you need to make sure you convey your credentials to the person making the hiring decision.

With the tough job market and decrease in job recruiting and hiring, it’s not easy to make your resume stand out. Competition can be fierce when hundreds, even thousands, of people apply for the same jobs. With so many candidates, the hiring manager or recruiting director may only spend about fifteen seconds reading your resume.

Fortunately, if you know how to write a great resume, and you understand what the organization wants in an employee, you can move to the interview stage. Your resume is an advertisement for you; it’s all about understanding your target and making your message appealing to them.

There are simple tips for expressing your jobs and activities in a compelling, relevant way that will help your resume survive the recruiting director’s fif-teen second scan. The most important element of resume writing is focusing on your specific accomplishments. This is the area where a vast major-ity of candidates falter. Most job seekers write job description resumes. They simply tell the reader what anyone in that particular position would do, as opposed to what they specifically accomplished.


Account Executive, DDB Worldwide, McDonald’s, october 2005 - Present Managed a variety of integrated marketing programs for client

Authored creative briefs that satisfied brand’s business objectives while maintaining its strategic positioning

Perpetuated cash flow profitability on all jobs by ensuring accurate and timely billing

Managed creative and production processes to ensure on-time and within budget delivery

While this may sound decent, it’s really quite generic. The fact is, ANY account executive in the history of the advertising industry, whether at DDB or not, can write this exact same statement. All you’ve done is tell the reader what an account executive does. And guess what? The reader probably already knows that! In your mind, you know what you did and what you accomplished, but you fail to convey those achievements when you write a generic job descrip-tion resume.

If what is written on your resume can be written by the person who did the job, before, with, or after you, then you haven’t done yourself justice. resumes need to be infused with numbers, data, records, and accomplishments. These quantifiable and measurable details will dramati-cally improve your resume.

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When listing your accomplishments, think about the following:

how was the organization/department better as a result of YoUr involvement?

What did YoU specifically accomplish?

how did YoU do it differently than the person before, after, or next to you?

Were YoU ever singled out for superior work?

Use facts and figures whenever possible.

When you’re putting together your resume, think about the projects and ventures that you undertook that you are particularly proud of.

These are the components and the essence of a great resume.

Accomplishments can be emphasized on your resume through two catego-ries: scope and results. Scope covers the size of what you’ve done. hiring managers can be a skeptical lot. The reader can’t appreciate the breadth of your experience if you utilize vague and indefinable language. Unfortunately, if a recruiting director doesn’t see a number, the natural inclination is to as-sume it was a small or meaningless accomplishment.

After emphasizing the scope of your experiences, you need to quantify your results. It’s one thing to do a job, and it’s quite another to do a job well. ob-viously, a company wants to hire a superior achiever – someone with a track record of success. Your resume needs to indicate your successes. Think about the direct results of your actions, and consider both personal and team achievements.

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Ultimately, a resume that focuses on accomplishments by including both scope and results is incredibly powerful. The example resume from above is rewritten below. This is the same exact candidate, doing the same exact job, yet it reads quite differently.

Account Executive, DDB Worldwide, McDonald’s, october 2005 - Present Launched 1.5MM person direct mail piece exceeding response rate by more than 20%

helped reposition Big Mac sandwich, convincing client to change target

Created new internal budgeting process, helping keep more than $700,000 worth of production under budget

Produced more than 15 separate direct mail pieces and in excess of 65 PoP items

It’s apparent that this resume is dramatically better than the previous version. It’s specific, it’s tangible, and it paints a clear picture of an accomplished job candi-date. organizations are looking for the “easy” hire. They want to bring someone onboard who can make a difference and contribute from day one. Your resume is your initial sales tool, and you want to make sure that first impression is appealing.

Very simply, organizations and companies want to make sure you can do the job and you can do it well. By writing an “accomplishment” resume and by focusing on your target audience, you show the organization that you are the ideal candi-date for the job.

Recommended Reading

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How To Say It on Your Resume: A Top Recruiting Director’s Guide to Writing the Perfect Resume for Every Job, by Brad Karsh with Courtney Pike, Prentice hall Press, 2009.

Little Black Book of Connections: 6.5 Assets for Networking Your Way to Rich Rela-tionships, by Jeffrey Gitomer, Broadway Business, 2006.

How to Win Friends & Influence People, by Dale Carnegie, Pocket Publishers, 1998.

Never Eat Alone: And Other Secrets to Success, One Relationship at a Time, by Keith Ferrazzi and Tahl raz, Broadway Business, 2005.

How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere: The Secrets of Good Communication, Larry King and Bill Gilbert, Three rivers Press, 1995.

Confessions of a Recruiting Director: The Insider’s Guide to Landing Your First Job, by Brad Karsh, Prentice hall Press, 2006.

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Good Luck

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